‘Making our partnership superhit', says PM Modi on talks with Nepalese counterpart Prachanda

New Delhi, India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his visiting Nepalese counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on Thursday, which focused on enhancing India-Nepal cooperation in various areas, which includes energy, connectivity and trade and signed transit agreements.

Speaking about his visit to Nepal in 2014, Indian PM Modi said that he had offered a 'hit formula' to improve relations between India and Nepal and that the agreements signed would help that relationship become a 'super hit'.

"I remember... nine years ago, in 2014, I made my first visit to Nepal. At that time I had given a 'hit' formula for India-Nepal relations - highways, I-ways, and trans-ways. I said we will establish such contacts that our borders do not become barriers. Today, the Nepal PM and I have taken many important decisions to make our partnership a super hit," Modi stated.

"We will continue to strive to take India-Nepal ties to Himalayan heights," he added. On Wednesday, the Nepalese prime minister embarked on his four-day visit to India.

The visit to India marks the first bilateral trip of Prachanda abroad after the 68-year-old Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist) leader came to power in December 2022.

After PM Modi welcomed "Prachanda" at the Hyderabad House, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted, "Deepening the bonds of friendship and co-operation. PM @narendramodi greets PM @cmprachanda of Nepal as the latter arrives in Hyderabad House for bilateral talks.”

Delegation-level talks were also held between PM Modi and Prachanda. Tweeting about the talks, Bagchi stated, “Agenda includes bolstering our age-old ties through enhanced connectivity in areas of the economy, energy, infrastructure, education & people to people contacts.”

Cargo train from Bathnaha to Nepal Customs yard flagged off

Post the delegation-level talks, the two prime ministers jointly unveiled the e-plaque of the Kurtha-Bijalpura section of the Railway and flagged off the Indian Railway cargo train from Bathnaha to Nepal Customs Yard.

The two leaders exchanged agreements. After this PM Modi, addressing the joint press conference said, "Transit agreements have been signed today. We have established new rail links to increase physical connectivity. Long term power trade agreement has been established between India and Nepal today. This will give strength to the power sector of our countries. The religious and cultural ties between India and Nepal are very old and strong. To further strengthen this, we have decided that projects related to Ramayana Circuit should be expedited."

"I had said that we will establish such contacts between India-Nepal that our borders do not become barriers between us. Today Nepal PM and I have taken many important decisions to make our partnership a super hit in the future," he added.

The Ramayana Circuit

During the joint press conference, Modi stated, "Religious and cultural ties between India and Nepal are old and strong. To further strengthen this, we have decided that projects related to the Ramayana Circuit - one of 15 tourism circuits identified for development - should be expedited."

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PM Prachanda's fourth visit to India

Meanwhile, Prachanda said, "This is my fourth visit to India. The relationship between India and Nepal is age-old. Today we discussed steps to strengthen the ties between both nations. We also jointly launched many groundbreaking projects. I have extended a cordial invitation to PM Modi to visit Nepal. I look forward to welcoming him to Nepal. I also urge PM Modi, to resolve the border issues with bilateral talks."

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Dahal laid a wreath at Raj Ghat in the capital city of New Delhi. He also wrote a message in the visitor's book present at Raj Ghat.

"PM @cmprachanda of Nepal paid solemn tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat," wrote India's Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Twitter.

The Nepalese prime minister is on an official visit to India from May 31-June 3. This marks his fourth visit to India. Prachanda reached New Delhi on Wednesday and received a warm welcome from Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi.

India's Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, informing about PM Dahal's arrival tweeted, "Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal arrives in Delhi, receives warm welcome by MoS Lekhi, PM @cmprachanda of Nepal arrives in New Delhi on his first overseas visit after assumption of office. Warmly welcomed by MoS @M_Lekhi at the airport. The visit will impart renewed momentum to the close and unique India-Nepal relationship."

On Wednesday, PM Dahal held talks with India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.

Along with the official engagements, Dahal will also visit Indore and Ujjain, as part of his bilateral visit. During his visit, the two countries will work on the successes achieved in the bilateral partnerships by India and Nepal during previous high-level visits.

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During his official visit, Nepal Prime Minister Dahal will also hold talks with President Droupadi Murmu and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

On Wednesday, Nepal's ambassador to India Shankar P Sharma called Pushpa Kamal Dahal's trip to India a "goodwill visit" and stated that it "will bring Nepal and India's relations to a good height".

In a statement issued last week about the visit of Prachanda to India, Nepal's foreign ministry stated that the tour would "further strengthen the age-old, multifaceted, and cordial relations" between both nations.